In petroleum and chemical refining and processing it is frequently desirable to shift the direction of fluid flow through an apparatus. For this purpose flow diverting valves have been devised. One example of the use of a flow diverting valve is in bi-directional meter prover applications. In bi-directional meter proving an elongated cylindrical metering chamber is arranged in series connection with a meter. A piston in the metering chamber is moved by flow of fluid through the meter. By comparing the indicated flow volume registered by the meter with the volume displaced by the piston as it is moved by the fluid flow within the metering chamber the accuracy of the meter can be verified and the meter calibrated. The most expeditious means of calibrating a meter is to cause the fluid which flows through the meter to move the piston in the metering chamber in first one direction and then in the other. To do this requires that the fluid flow be diverted after it leaves the meter to flow first in one direction through the metering chamber and then in the opposite direction.
While others have provided diverter valves to accomplish the above purpose, most of the valves in present use are relatively expensive to manufacture in that they require special castings, machining, and so forth. The present invention is directed towards a four way diverter valve characterized by simplicity, effectiveness, and particularly, by the fact that it can be constructed from readily available components.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an improved fluid flow diverter valve.
More particularly, an object of this invention is to provide a fluid flow diverter valve which can be constructed from readily available components, primarily by welding, and in a manner requiring only a minimum amount of machining.
These general objects as well as other and more specific objects of the invention will be fulfilled in the following description and claims, taken in conjunction with the attached drawings.